The Abandonment of the Floating Bridge of Havana Bay
HAVANA TIMES – The sea has always been a meeting point for people with the spiritual universe. It is the place where both love and pain are offered. For thousands of Cuban families, the sea is a monument to hope and loss.
A woman crossing the ruined floating promenade to throw a flower is an act full of symbolism. It is an image that stays with us and makes us reflect.
The floating promenade on Avenida del Puerto was a source of pride for the people of Havana since its inauguration in 2014. A meeting place for families and lovers, today it is a ruin like many other buildings in the former “wonder city.”
That a woman would cross the planks destroyed by the sea to approach the railing shouts of its emotional weight. That she chose this place and not another speaks of a conscious and devastating act. This site, located in the historical center of the city, where tourists stroll, also attracts fishermen who drop their hooks into the openings of the planks to bring food home.
The lack of management and awareness of the leaders in charge of this facility leads us to question the widespread neglect. Neglect that affects and spans all areas of life in Cuba. Neglect that extends to the citizens who choose to look the other way.
Blaming the salt for the deterioration of the promenade, a work created to commemorate the 495th anniversary of the founding of Havana, is a shameless excuse that has spread over the years. The absence of danger signs is a reminder that the people are left alone.
